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[GK86]

It is time to break out of his comfy, small-town routines and live a little! Pee-Wee hits the road for an epic adventure.

Release date: March 18th on Netflix

Links:

• Netflix page.
• Trailer.

Reviews:

• Varitey:
  
  

  Watching “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” a Netflix movie receiving a limited theatrical release, brought to mind the sensation evoked by Paul Reubens’ stage revival of the character several years ago: An initial rush of nostalgia and enthusiasm, which by the end had given way to silliness fatigue, and the question, “When will this be over?” That’s not a slam of the Pee-wee Herman experience, really, as much as a reminder that some things are best consumed in smaller doses than a 90-minute movie, much like those little root-beer barrels that Reubens’ perpetual child so adores.

  
  

  To his credit, Reubens remains as deft at bringing his man-sized child to life as he ever was, a staggering 35 years after inventing him. But it’s perhaps no accident that one of Pee-wee’s most treasured incarnations – beyond the 1985 movie “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” directed by Tim Burton – might be the more concentrated Saturday-morning TV show that adults and college kids greedily consumed, while their children and younger siblings identified the title character as one of them.

• AV Club:
  
  

  The new film—directed by Wonder Showzen’s John Lee, produced by Judd Apatow, and co-written by Reubens with Love’s Paul Rust—doesn’t shy from comparisons to Pee-wee’s first, Tim Burton-helmed big-screen outing. The parallels are right there in the title, but the films also follow roughly the same structure, a hero’s journey that breaks Pee-wee out of his idiosyncratic small-town routine and sends him on an epic road trip. Pee-wee’s Big Holiday is a comeback vehicle, but it’s also an attempt to reprise one of the funniest movies ever made. To a large degree, it succeeds.

• Hollywood Reporter:
  
  

  Co-written by Reubens and Apatow collaborator Paul Rust (Netflix series Love), Big Holiday’s episodic road-trip script is a good fit for the film’s sketch-based humor. Lee’s fast-paced, uncluttered style seems likely to hold the attention of young viewers for a while at least, as Pee-wee repeatedly risks danger and courts public humiliation in his comedic attempts to reunite with his best buddy. Don’t expect a wholesale return of the wacky original Playhouse characters (distinguished by a lineup of talking, inanimate objects and puppets that lent the series a consistently surreal tone) or the same level of winky ironic humor; this is an all-new outing more in the spirit of Big Adventure.

• The Wrap:
  
  

  Maybe that’s because of the funny little man-child at the center of the action. Utilizing subtle digital retouching to make his face look younger, Reubens hasn’t altered Pee-wee’s temperament, which is both sarcastic and accepting, friendly but with a little snark behind it. The actor plays best off of Manganiello, the latter’s chiseled manliness a perfect counterpoint to Pee-wee’s pasty, scrawny hyperactivity. But like everyone else who comes in contact with Herman, Joe can’t help but love the guy, and their burgeoning opposites-attract friendship never stops being delightful and amusing. To be sure, there are a lot of goofy, dopey, hit-or-miss jokes in “Big Holiday,” but it’s all held together by Reubens’ underlying belief that kindness and compassion help make the world a slightly better place. The film’s best trick is making that sentiment not seem corny but, instead, deeply hip.

• IGN:
  
  

  From the start, it’s clear Pee-wee’s Big Holiday is meant to evoke Pee-wee’s Big Adventure in a, ahem, big way. There may not be a stolen bike motivating him, but ultimately, the point is to get Pee-wee on the road, interacting with different types of people across America. It’s a bit disappointing to have the scenario be so similar to that classic film, as it seems like plenty of other storylines could have been developed that weren’t so closely aligned (even putting Pee-wee in a different country would have shook things up a bit more). However, regardless, the very good news is that Pee-wee’s big Holiday is a satisfying, funny movie for Pee-wee fans that once more captures what makes this inspired character work.

  
  

  It’s difficult to not compare Big Holiday’s direction to what Tim Burton accomplished in Big Adventure, given the Pee-wee/road trip parallels. Director John Lee (Wonder Showzen) keeps the energy strong and evokes a properly Pee-wee Herman-friendly vibe, complete with bright colors and plenty of 1950s aesthetics, though his work isn’t as visually distinctive or innately unusual as Burton’s. Still, Lee gets the character and tone right throughout, including some hysterical cutaways to dream sequences involving Pee-wee and Manganiello, while keeping things vibrant and quirky in a manner one expects for this character (though there are a couple of notable and slightly distracting continuity errors that stuck out).

Directed by John Lee and produced by Judd Apatow

Cast:

Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman

Joe Manganiello

Alia Shawkat as Bella

Stephanie Beatriz as Freckles

Tara Buck as Beverly

Leo Fitzpatrick as Abe

Promo photos:

 

[snacknuts]

I just watched Pee-wee's Big Adventure tonight. I have high hopes and low expectations for this.

 

[hoverboarder]

I just watched Pee-wee's Big Adventure tonight. I have high hopes and low expectations for this.

Pretty much how I feel going into this. Playhouse and Big Adventure were such an important part of my childhood, so I'm hoping this can recapture even a fraction of that magic without being overly self referential.

I would love for this film to stand on its own. I enjoyed the live special a few years back, so I'll keep an open mind.

 

[wanderingprostheyltite]

Oh interesting, didn't realize Paul Rust co wrote this with Reubens. I think it'll be decent, especially with Lee in the directing chair. Talented dude.

 

[kingwingin]

Connect the dots! La-lala-lala!

 

[soul creator]

how is Alia Shawkat not Freckles

 

[Acorn]

In it for maeby. Not familiar with pee wee (British).

 

[snacknuts]

In it for maeby. Not familiar with pee wee (British).

Please do yourself a favor and watch Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and Big Top Pee-Wee. They're so good.

 

[chicagocubsfan]

Trailer didn't make it look great, but I have hope that it will be alright.

 

[Skiptastic]

Please do yourself a favor and watch Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and Big Top Pee-Wee. They're so good.

Pee Wee's Big Adventure is legitimately one of the best family comedies ever. You absolutely must see it.

 

[D6AMIA6N]

Pee-Wee is awesome, definitely one of my favorite characters growing up with Big Adventure and Playhouse. Even as a kid I remember thinking Pee-Wee was pretty "out there".

 

[Ultima_5]

Stoked! Didn't realize this was a Netflix thing.

Apatow seems to be doing a lot of Netflix stuff recently.

 

[Woody Invincible]

First, Peewee on Broadway, and now this. The renaissance of nostalgia is upon us.

 

[Hex]

I took the right weekend off.
Daredevil S2, new PeeWee, Final Round...

 

[Skiptastic]

I took the right weekend off.
Daredevil S2, new PeeWee, Final Round...

March Madness too!

 

[Violence Jack]

This is coming out the same day as Daredevil S2? Might give it a watch while taking a break from my DD marathon session.

 

[Mohonky]

Not a lot of children in this film I notice....

 

[Skiptastic]

Not a lot of children in this film I notice....

Weren't a lot of kids in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Pee-Wee and Francis are basically big children, so you don't need little kids. That movie was great.

 

[GK86]

Reviews just hit:

Varitey:

Watching “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” a Netflix movie receiving a limited theatrical release, brought to mind the sensation evoked by Paul Reubens’ stage revival of the character several years ago: An initial rush of nostalgia and enthusiasm, which by the end had given way to silliness fatigue, and the question, “When will this be over?” That’s not a slam of the Pee-wee Herman experience, really, as much as a reminder that some things are best consumed in smaller doses than a 90-minute movie, much like those little root-beer barrels that Reubens’ perpetual child so adores.

To his credit, Reubens remains as deft at bringing his man-sized child to life as he ever was, a staggering 35 years after inventing him. But it’s perhaps no accident that one of Pee-wee’s most treasured incarnations – beyond the 1985 movie “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” directed by Tim Burton – might be the more concentrated Saturday-morning TV show that adults and college kids greedily consumed, while their children and younger siblings identified the title character as one of them.

AV Club:

The new film—directed by Wonder Showzen’s John Lee, produced by Judd Apatow, and co-written by Reubens with Love’s Paul Rust—doesn’t shy from comparisons to Pee-wee’s first, Tim Burton-helmed big-screen outing. The parallels are right there in the title, but the films also follow roughly the same structure, a hero’s journey that breaks Pee-wee out of his idiosyncratic small-town routine and sends him on an epic road trip. Pee-wee’s Big Holiday is a comeback vehicle, but it’s also an attempt to reprise one of the funniest movies ever made. To a large degree, it succeeds.

Hollywood Reporter:

Co-written by Reubens and Apatow collaborator Paul Rust (Netflix series Love), Big Holiday’s episodic road-trip script is a good fit for the film’s sketch-based humor. Lee’s fast-paced, uncluttered style seems likely to hold the attention of young viewers for a while at least, as Pee-wee repeatedly risks danger and courts public humiliation in his comedic attempts to reunite with his best buddy. Don’t expect a wholesale return of the wacky original Playhouse characters (distinguished by a lineup of talking, inanimate objects and puppets that lent the series a consistently surreal tone) or the same level of winky ironic humor; this is an all-new outing more in the spirit of Big Adventure.

The Wrap:

Maybe that’s because of the funny little man-child at the center of the action. Utilizing subtle digital retouching to make his face look younger, Reubens hasn’t altered Pee-wee’s temperament, which is both sarcastic and accepting, friendly but with a little snark behind it. The actor plays best off of Manganiello, the latter’s chiseled manliness a perfect counterpoint to Pee-wee’s pasty, scrawny hyperactivity. But like everyone else who comes in contact with Herman, Joe can’t help but love the guy, and their burgeoning opposites-attract friendship never stops being delightful and amusing. To be sure, there are a lot of goofy, dopey, hit-or-miss jokes in “Big Holiday,” but it’s all held together by Reubens’ underlying belief that kindness and compassion help make the world a slightly better place. The film’s best trick is making that sentiment not seem corny but, instead, deeply hip.

IGN:

From the start, it’s clear Pee-wee’s Big Holiday is meant to evoke Pee-wee’s Big Adventure in a, ahem, big way. There may not be a stolen bike motivating him, but ultimately, the point is to get Pee-wee on the road, interacting with different types of people across America. It’s a bit disappointing to have the scenario be so similar to that classic film, as it seems like plenty of other storylines could have been developed that weren’t so closely aligned (even putting Pee-wee in a different country would have shook things up a bit more). However, regardless, the very good news is that Pee-wee’s big Holiday is a satisfying, funny movie for Pee-wee fans that once more captures what makes this inspired character work.

It’s difficult to not compare Big Holiday’s direction to what Tim Burton accomplished in Big Adventure, given the Pee-wee/road trip parallels. Director John Lee (Wonder Showzen) keeps the energy strong and evokes a properly Pee-wee Herman-friendly vibe, complete with bright colors and plenty of 1950s aesthetics, though his work isn’t as visually distinctive or innately unusual as Burton’s. Still, Lee gets the character and tone right throughout, including some hysterical cutaways to dream sequences involving Pee-wee and Manganiello, while keeping things vibrant and quirky in a manner one expects for this character (though there are a couple of notable and slightly distracting continuity errors that stuck out).

 

[GK86]

The movie is up. Anyone watch it?

 

[CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls]

The movie is up. Anyone watch it?

I plan to give it a shot this weekend. My wife wasn't a big fan of Pee Wee's Big Adventure, but that was a staple of my childhood so I owe it to myself to watch this.

 

[knkng]

Just watched it. I don't think it's as good as Big Adventure, but that's a bit of an unfair comparison. Regardless, it was a lot of fun, and the whole segment with the farmer's daughters will definitely go down as a Pee Wee classic. All the stuff with Joe Manganiello was also really great, although it did get oddly homosexual at times (I seriously thought they were going to kiss at a couple points throughout the movie). Anyways, lots of fun, and lots of laughs. Also made me giddy to see a not-so-subtle reference to "Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!"

 

[Monkeylord]

How des he still look basically the same as in 1985?


What manner of sorcery be this!?


Gonna watch this after dinner tonight.

 

[Ginger Hail]

Rewatched Big Adventure last night, will probably give this a watch tonight.

 

[Eggbok]

Trying to contain my hype but it just won't stop!

 

[fenners]

Is this still as kid friendly as the original movie? Meaning some humour flying over their heads, but still largely appropriate? Fuller House was ridiculously close to being too much at times compared to the original.

 

[Ivan 3414]

As someone born in the 90s, I still can't figure Pee-wee Herman out. Is it a kids show or is it making fun of kids shows? Why are adults into this creepy looking guy?

 

[knkng]

Is this still as kid friendly as the original movie? Meaning some humour flying over their heads, but still largely appropriate? Fuller House was ridiculously close to being too much at times compared to the original.

Bunch of sexual humor and references, but nothing I would categorize as being offensive.

The worst is probably

Spoiler

when the Pussycat/Switchblade girls invite male strippers to their motel room. The guys strip down to their undies and they all have a pillow fight, including the girls riding on the backs of the men on all fours.

It sounds much worse than it really is.

 

[GK86]

How des he still look basically the same as in 1985?


What manner of sorcery be this!?


Gonna watch this after dinner tonight.

Digital makeup.

 

[Ultima_5]

As someone born in the 90s, I still can't figure Pee-wee Herman out. Is it a kids show or is it making fun of kids shows? Why are adults into this creepy looking guy?

It started as a parody (I think it started as an hbo special). Then it got a bit more kid friendly when they found out it was being watched by kids. it's incredibly hard not to enjoy it.

its very reminiscent of those old tv shows hosted by adults for kids. very 50/60s vibe

 

[RoslindaleOne]

Is this coming out on Bluray at some point?

 

[knkng]

As someone born in the 90s, I still can't figure Pee-wee Herman out. Is it a kids show or is it making fun of kids shows? Why are adults into this creepy looking guy?

It was actually originally a nightclub act. Him and his troupe of actor friends (including Phil Hartman) would put on a fake children's show, and fill it with odd sexual humor. After the Tim Burton movie it was made into a legit kid's show. Since then he has taken the show back to the stage, basing it off the children's TV series, but re-infusing it with the sexual comedy.

 

[Afro Samurai]

It's up!

 

[Spine_Ripper]

I had zero interest, but after reading John Lee from Wonder Showzen is directing, I have to check this out.

 

[Camjo-Z]

Just watched it, and boy is this movie really uneven. The parts at the beginning and end where it's actually trying to tell a story are a bit slow and uninteresting, but the random unconnected vignettes in the middle where Pee-Wee meets all these crazy characters are fun and have some great gags. Overall, not even close to touching Big Adventure, but worth a watch if you like the character.

 

[Doodis]

Bunch of sexual humor and references, but nothing I would categorize as being offensive.

The worst is probably

Spoiler

when the Pussycat/Switchblade girls invite male strippers to their motel room. The guys strip down to their undies and they all have a pillow fight, including the girls riding on the backs of the men on all fours.

It sounds much worse than it really is.

Sooo, if I were to watch this with my 6 and 10 year olds, I'd be good? I watched Big Adventure with them a few months ago and forgot about Large Marge. They were scared and not happy with me about that part. Haha.

 

[lunchtoast]

Yeah it's pretty harmless. Low-key peewee but nothing wrong with that. Thought it was a nice movie. Kids will like it.

 

[kinggroin]

Loved it! Absolutely loved it.

Doesn't hit the highs of the first, and it stinks not having elfman's soundtrack, but it was hilarious, magical, ridiculous, self-referential, self-aware and charming.

My wife, sis and our kids saw it last night and you'd have been hard pressed to remove our smiles.

That snake farm. That scream. The water moccasin, Fucking dead.

 

[aechris]

Sooo, if I were to watch this with my 6 and 10 year olds, I'd be good? I watched Big Adventure with them a few months ago and forgot about Large Marge. They were scared and not happy with me about that part. Haha.

I watched it with my four year-old yesterday and she loved it. That part was a little strange to her ("Weird! They're having a pillow fight!"), but it ends quickly.

That snake farm. That scream. The water moccasin, Fucking dead.

I laughed so hard at the snake farm!

 

[Amon37]

So watching this tonight. Hype!

 

[Skiptastic]

Watched last night. It was okay. Nowhere near as great as Big Adventure but pretty harmless fun.

 

[Sanjuro]

Really enjoyed the film. Obviously it's not nearly as good as the greatest film of all time, Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

It's pretty light affair, which is to be expected. Kicks in around the midway point in balancing the tone.

 

[VistraNorrez]

It was really fun and I wanted more. It almost felt like it should have been a series. But I'd rather want more than have it overstay its welcome. The only thing that took me a bit to adjust to was that Ruebens can't quite do the voice anymore. He looked great, though, and at times ageless.

I think it will hold up really well on repeat.

 

[deadlast]

Watched with kids last night. It plays out exactly like a spongebob movie.

 

[Dicer]

Watched with kids last night. It plays out exactly like a spongebob movie.

A peewee spongbob crossover needs to happen...

BTW, movie is great...some great comedy

Spoiler

omg, the balloon

Oh and Lady peewee, hnnnngg

 

[Fox Mulder]

It was really fun. What you want from a pee wee film. Hope it gets a bluray release.

 

[chris121580]

I really loved it. Only complaint is that it was missing some of Tim Burton's fantasy world from Big Adventure. Also was really hoping for a cameo from Francis

 

[iMax]

Is this supposed to be America's attempt at Mr. Bean?

 

[GK86]

Is this supposed to be America's attempt at Mr. Bean?

This came out before Mr. Bean. So Mr. Bean is a British's attempt at Pee-Wee.

 

[Sanjuro]

I really loved it. Only complaint is that it was missing some of Tim Burton's fantasy world from Big Adventure. Also was really hoping for a cameo from Francis

I kind of like how almost every iteration of Pee Wee he is dropped into some kind of alternate universe.